Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for my advanced readers copy of Overruling Judgment by Liz Ellyn.

This was a very enjoyable and spicy read! The characters are well-developed, each with their own dreams and vulnerabilities. Liz Ellyn explores the act of balancing personal desires with professionalism at work. The tension between Ian and Sasha is palpable, keeping readers hooked! While the romance between JD and Sasha is fun and flirty, this also keeps readers engaged for sure!

The dialogue between the characters is a bit lacking, especially between the main characters and their parents. The wording feels clunky and awkward. However that is not the same for the rest of the novel. Most of the scenes feel very natural and have a nice flow to them.

This story shows themes of ambition, love, and self-worth. The pacing is well-executed, with each chapter building on the emotional stakes for the characters. While the story line may incorporate some familiar romantic tropes, Liz Ellyn manages to infuse freshness into the story through well-crafted character dynamics. If you enjoy spicy novels, tension between characters, and a well written story line you should definitely check this book out!

3 stars

This book is a contemporary MFM romance, with a bit of a love triangle happening. This story was ok for me. I am rating it a Low 3 stars. My biggest conflict with this book was with the character Ian. He came across at first as a strong, work obsessed, closed off man and then about a ⅓ into the book he spent most of the time jumping to conclusions, lashing out like a toddler after choices he made or having sexy time, but his behavior and attitude did not work for me. His relationship with Sasha also felt very insta love especially where they had one night together and then months later, he is declaring his feelings, and I am not a fan of instant feelings.
I did like J.D a lot, he seemed fun and relaxed. He really seemed like he wanted to make things work and did not get his feelings hurt by every little hiccup. The plot and the writing was ok for me, it kept me engaged enough that I wanted to continue reading and find out how it ended, but Ian was so tedious, and Sasha was just kind of there, I really did not understand their obsession over her, especially after such a short time. While this book I did rate 3 stars it is not one I would recommend a lot.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

I really wanted to like this, I just couldn't get into it. I am usually good with my review timelines making sure it's there before the archive date...but I kept stopping and starting. I only plan on leaving this review here, I DNF, so one day I will sit down and power through this and maybe I will find myself at a point that I am so engrossed in the book that I can leave at least a 4 star rating on amazon.

I was honestly expecting a story similar to Maya Bank’s with great characters full of chemistry and a storyline to go along with it. And maybe it’s just me, but I couldn’t get into this one at all. I tried reading it on three separate occasions and have finally gave up… I did skip around to see how it ended.

**SPOILERS**

In this book you get a glimpse at a polyamorous couple. While I am a heterosexual woman who has bi tendencies. I do not know how much I loved how this book showcased polyamorous closed couples. I think the fact that they were brothers was weird to me and essentially made the couple weird. I am not polyamorous, so I do not know how it is, but I almost feel as if it is too much of cliche. I feel as if it may be offensive for someone who is polyamorous. But as I said I am not, so I have no proof of how to pass this judgement.

The book has some very sexy scenes, but the plot is not thick enough. It almost feels like they rushed through the ending where the couple decided to be together and move in together. There was no true conversation about their future as they said, and they were all too willing to come out to their friends. I have very supportive people in my life, but that would be a scary situation and what parents willingly want their children to both date the same woman? It just seemed a little bit too weird for me.

The Sexy scenes did their job of making you feel all sorts of ways, but the other parts of the story were just not there. There was no plot building and no real way for the story to evolve.

Overall: 3/5 - Plus two because you don't understand just how sexy it got.
Story: 1/5 - Plot was not there, the storyline was mixed, and the overuse of BRO was a little much for me.
Spicy: 5/5 - The spicy scenes were definitely stirring all the things in my head.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this arc!

This was… something.

First you should know that they are brothers, and she also never asked a guy she is seeing - what is your bother name? Like he said my bro a hundred times. Plus she knew his last name. Why not ask for a name?

Situation at work and why she got fired is ridiculous and how she went about it. If you are in relationship with not one, but two people - maybe answer their texts. Even with “can’t talk or anything”.

Their dialogue is not normal. It felt a lot like two people working together.

Any love scene is just no.

In end, they are brothers. 👀

It's a fun read for nontraditional relationship romance between 3 people. It requires a suspension of disbelief but all in all its a good read.

overall. this book was a little much for me but i think that’s because i tend to stick to more mainstream romance picks. i will recommend to a friend who enjoys these type of books and i could definitely see her enjoying it as she is more well-acquainted with these types of books.

This was a no for me. Content-wise I thought the story was fine if unoriginal. But I found the writing to be pretty terrible, both grammatically - lots of random capitalizations and repetitions of words - and contextually. I didn't find the dialogue to be remotely realistic. I didn't even want to read the sex scenes because they were full of so many ridiculous cliches.

OVERRULING JUDGMENT - Liz Ellyn

HOT! - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - Sasha has an explosive night of passion with Ian. But when his desire to make partner at their law firm overrides his desire for her, she finally moves on to the hot art teacher. However, a strange twist of fate brings them all back together again.

Writing - 3.5 stars - Ellyn captured my interest right from the first page. She created an interesting scenario that naturally built to the obvious choice. I liked the intensity of the sexual scenes and loved the interactions between the characters. My biggest problem was with the grammar. Ian and Sasha, in particular, are high-level attorneys, and their English grammar annoyed me, with sentences like "...anything going on between Sasha and I." (should be me) and "...with both he and JD" (should be him). This happened many times, and I felt a big stumble each time.

Characters - 4 stars - The characters were very appealing, most of the time. I liked that they were attractive and pleasant, but they also had vulnerabilities and foibles. JD is the sexy art teacher, but he's also strong and in shape as a former hockey player. And yet, with all this, he's very insecure and worries when Sasha doesn't reply to a text right away! Grow up, JD! Ian is hot and intelligent, but his temper certainly gets the better of him from time to time. I couldn't believe how upset he'd get and often couldn't figure out what his problem was. But I did like the fact that he'd settle down, think it over, then make it right. Sasha is surprisingly bashful for a woman who is bedding two different men. I like her work ethic, her dedication to her job, and yet she's willing to try new things. Having lived her whole life on her own, she's independent and sometimes has a hard time sharing, which leaves both men feeling uncomfortable.

Title - 4 stars - Cute title, including a legal term but also, of course, referring to their ultimate relationship decision.

Cover - 3.5 stars - I like the city skyline and the colors, but the bottle and glasses on the cover only referenced a couple of times of getting together in the local bar, so it didn't really seem important to the story, certainly not enough to highlight on the cover.

Overall - 4 stars - This is a new-to-me author, and I enjoyed this book very much. There were a few grammatical errors that bothered me, but mostly it was easy-to-read, enjoyable, and the sexual scenes were HOT! I liked that the author led the reader to look at the relationship between the three of them. Yes, there were some sexy scenes, but not too many. And the book was much more focused on how each character reacted rather than jumping right into bed. Sasha had to work through her job issues before committing. Ian kept a lot of his thoughts in his head before sharing, but then he'd wonder why the others didn't know what he was thinking. JD felt insecure a lot of the time, so he'd appear needy and high maintenance. Each of them had issues to work through on their own in order to fully commit to the relationship, and I thought it was very interesting to watch their struggles and root for their success. All in all, a very good book that I enjoyed.

Phew this book takes you on a ride! This is a tangled tale of one woman and 2 brothers. Tangled indeed.
When Sasha - recovering from heartbreak over her ex - meets a new man, passion ensues until (and yip here's the first of the tangle) and then she discovers that her ex is her new hottie's brother.

This could have descended into a routine smutty menage, but the characters of Sasha, Ian and JD are so well crafted that I became fully engaged in this unlikely story and ended up rooting for all 3 of them.

There are some internal eye rolls, I'm not going to lie, and moments when I had to say to myself 'that just wouldn't happen' but I forged on and I'm glad I did. My main problem is that none of these characters had the predisposition for polyamory and yet 'allowed' it very quickly. Maybe too quickly. Still, this is a work of fiction so who am I to judge?

The erotic scenes are extraordinarily well written and again, the characters themselves are the redeeming feature.

It has to be said though that the fact they are brothers may make some uneasy about this story and I get that. In addition a menage isn't for everyone but the emotional connection between all 3 saves the day.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this arc!
So. I’m going to be honest. I felt a little mislead by the blurb on this. And there are things some good smut can cover up but honestly this isn’t good enough for that.
There are some spoilers ahead so please don’t read if you don’t want to be spoiled.
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WTF is this. Is it technically incest? No. Is it though? Absolutely.
Let’s start at the beginning.
Our FMC is 10000% a pick me girl. It’s 2023 we don’t shame women for how they’re dressed. The men all call women FEMALES!? Who wrote this? And all the outrageous religious shit from uptight parents who are in unreasonably angry at their adult sons friend for getting divorced yet those same “super religious” people suggesting BOTH OF THEIR SONS DATE THE SAME WOMAN!? And she suggests a few times that she wouldn’t be opposed to DP from her boyfriend brothers!?

Maybe this was too hetero for me, but my goodness this was madness and not in a “dark romance woo” way, this was just outrageous that someone wrote it and then someone edited it and then someone published it. I cannot.

Overruling Judgment by Liz Ellyn is a captivating and emotionally charged novel that delves into the intricate world of love, desire, and the complexities of relationships. From the very first page, Ellyn skillfully draws readers into Sasha’s world where fantasies and flirtations intertwine, and choices become increasingly difficult to make.

The story begins as Sasha arrives late to her art class and finds herself captivated by the enigmatic art teacher, JD. The chemistry between Sasha and JD is palpable, sparking a flirtatious dance that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. However, Sasha’s life takes an interesting turn when she receives an urgent message to return to her law firm due to a medical emergency involving her coworker, Hailey.

As Sasha takes on the temporary role of replacing Hailey, she finds herself working alongside Mr. Stein and the intriguing presence of Ian O’Malley, someone from her past with whom she shares a complicated history. Ellyn expertly navigates the complexities of Sasha’s emotions as she becomes entangled in a whirlwind love triangle, torn between her lingering feelings for JD and the resurfacing desires for Ian.

The author’s writing style is engaging and evocative, vividly portraying Sasha’s internal struggle as she grapples with her choices and attempts to reconcile her desires. Ellyn masterfully explores the themes of passion and self-discovery, immersing readers in the web of conflicting emotions and intense desires. The question of whether Sasha will leave her love interests hanging in the balance or find herself in a more unconventional and alluring situation creates an air of anticipation that keeps readers eagerly turning the pages.

Overall, Overruling Judgment is an exceptional novel that combines elements of romance, introspection, and personal desires. Liz Ellyn’s storytelling prowess shines through, offering a captivating narrative that delves into the intricacies of lover and the complexity of human relationships. This book is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance who appreciate thought-provoking storylines and characters that resonate long after the final page is turned.

I really liked this book!

“Overruling Judgement” is a captivating novel that explores the boundless possibilities of love, the complexities of human relationships and career/personal life balance! I usually like books that make me question societal expectations and this one does just that!

I liked the connection between the main characters (all 3 of them) but I wish there had been more development in their history, to know more about their past, but overall it's a good novel, with a bit of drama mixed in, but it's an easy read. I would definitely recommend this book to other romance readers.

And really important: right now I just want to go to Chicago and understand all the fuss about the Chicago pizza!